Suction nozzle



. L. J. F. ELL

June 11, 1940.

SUCTION NOZZLE Filed June 26, 1956 Patented June 11,1940

UNITED STATES SUCTION NOZZLE Lars Johan Faith Ell,

Stockholm, Sweden, as-

signor to Electrolux Corporation, Dover, Del., a corporation of DelawareApplication June 26,

1936, Serial No. 87,390

In Switzerland July 2, 1935 2 Claims.

My invention relates to suction nozzles for use in connection with avacuum cleaner and particularly to a nozzle which automatically changesthe size of the suction opening therein.

Heretofore there have been known so-called duplex nozzles which may bechanged at the will of the operator so as to have either a large suctionopening and consequently a more widely distributed'fiow of air, or asmall suction opening with a concentrated flow of air. The first type ofopening is advantageously used in ordinary cleaning, as it permitscovering of a relatively large surface to be cleaned Within a shortlength of time. When objects, such as threads, are encountered which thedistributed fiow of air is unable to pick up, the operator shifts thenozzle so as to obtain a concentrated flow of air.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a nozzle of the abovegeneral type, but one in which the size of the opening is automaticallyaltered during each complete stroke of the nozzle. For instance, on theforward stroke of the nozzle a restricted opening is provided while onthe return stroke a large opening is provided. The advantage of this isthat a large surface can be cleaned in a relatively short length oftime, while at the same time a concentrated flow of air isintermittently established without the conscious effort of the operator.This concentrated flow of air picks up articles not entrained by themore distributed flow, whether such articles are seen by said operatoror not.

The objects and advantages of my inventionwill be apparent from thefollowing description considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawing which form part of this specification, and of. which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a differentposition; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a portion of the nozzle shown in Figs. 1 and2.

Referring to the figures, reference character In designates an elongatednozzle body provided with an elongated suction opening II. Rigidlysecured to or integral with body In is a hollow nipple l2 adapted to beconnected by a conduit iii to a source of suction. Usually conduit I3 isrigid so as to provide a handle for moving the nozzle backwards andforwards over the sur face to be cleaned. Nipple i2 communicates withthe interior of body l0 through an opening 14. Pivoted within body illon a rod 15 is a flap valve member it having a front wall I! longer thanthe diameter of opening l4, and end walls Ill. The height of flap valveI 4 is such that it projects slightly below the bottom of body l0 so asto contact the surface to be cleaned.

When the nozzle is moved forward over the surface to be cleaned in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, valve I4 is pivoted to therear of nozzle body until end walls 18 contact the rear wall of thebody. Consequently, all of the air drawn into the nozzle must passthrough the opening 20 defined by the walls of valve it and the rear lipof the nozzle. This results in a concentrated flow of air which is ableto pick up articles such as threads which adhere to the surface.

When the nozzle'is moved on the return stroke over the surface in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, valve I6 is pivoted to theposition shown in this figure and end walls ii are spaced from the rearwall of the nozzle body, whereby communication is established betweenopening It and the entire extent of elongated 20 suction opening ll,thereby providing a fiow of air distributed along the entire length ofthe nozzle.

While I have shown and described one more or less specific embodiment ofmy invention it is to be understood that this has been done for purposeof illustration only, and that the scope of the invention is not to belimited thereby, but is to be determined by the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. In a suction nozzle adapted to be moved forwards and backwards over asurface to be cleaned, a hollow body having an elongated suctionopening, and a hollow valve member pivotally mounted within said hollowbody and having an open end projecting through said suction opening soas to contact said surface and be pivoted by reversal in direction ofmovement of said nozzle, said valve in one position restricting theeffective area of said suction opening to that of the open end of thevalve member and in another position rendering the entire area of saidsuction opening efiective.

2. In a suction nozzle adapted to be moved forwards and backwards over'asurface to be cleaned, a hollow body having an elongated suc-' tionopening, and a hollow valve member pivotally mounted within said hollowbody and having an open end terminating in surface contacting positionadjacent to the plane of said suction opening and arranged so as to bepivoted by reversal in direction of movement of said nozzle, said valvein one position restricting the effective area of said suction openingto that of the open end of the valve member and in another positionrendering the entire. area of said suction opening effective.

LARS JOHAN FAITH ELL.

